Hosta plant named ‘El Nino’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Hosta plant named ‘El Nino’, characterized by its relatively compact plant habit; bluish green and white variegated leaves; freely flowering habit; and violet blue-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliage on erect scapes.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Hosta tardiflora cultivarEl Niño.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hostaplant, botanically known as Hosta tardiflora, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name El Niño.

The new Hosta originated from a cross-pollination in 1996 of the Hostatardiflora cultivar Halcyon, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unidentified selection of Hosta tardiflora, not patented,as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar El Niño was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Noordwijk, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar since March, 1999, by divisionsharvested in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Hosta are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar El Niño have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘El Niño’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘El Niño’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Relatively compact plant habit.

2. Bluish green and white variegated leaves.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Violet blue-colored flowers that are positioned above the foliage onerect scapes.

Plants of the new Hosta can be compared to plants of the female parent,the cultivar Halcyon. Plants of the new Hosta differ primarily fromplants of the cultivar Halcyon in leaf coloration as plants of thecultivar Halcyon have solid bluish green-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hosta, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Hosta.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘El Niño’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical leaves of ‘El Niño’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical flowers of ‘El Niño’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were about fiveyears old and grown in an outdoor nursery and under conditions whichclosely approximate commercial production conditions during the summerin Noordwijk, The Netherlands.

Botanical classification: Hosta tardiflora cultivar El Niño.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Hosta tardiflora cultivar Halcyon, notpatented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Hosta tardiflora, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type.—By divisions.

Time to initiate roots.—About three months.

Root description.—Fleshy, thick.

Plant description:

Form.—Perennial flowering plant; initially upright becoming outwardlyarching as leaves develop; mounded inverted triangle. Moderate to freelyclumping. Appropriate for two-liter containers.

Crop time.—After rooting, about two years are required to producefinished flowering plants in two-liter containers.

Plant height.—About 50 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 75 cm.

Foliage description.—Leaves basal, simple, generally symmetrical, andlong-persisting. Length: About 13 to 17 cm. Width: About 7 to 12 cm.Shape: Cordate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; leathery. Luster, upper andlower surfaces: Dull. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About20 to 25 cm. Color: Young and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:Center, 133B overlain with 188A; towards margins, 155D. Young and fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: Center, 188A; towards margins, 155D.Petiole: Center, 191A; towards margins, 191D.

Flower description:

Appearance.—Single campanulate flowers with fused perianth arranged onupright racemes. Flowering stems arise from leaf axils. Typically abouttwelve flowering stems per plant. Flowers not persistent.

Quantity of flowers.—About twelve flowers per raceme.

Natural flowering season.—Summer in the Netherlands; flowering recurrentduring this period.

Fragrance.—Not fragrant.

Flower diameter.—About 6 to 7 cm.

Flower height (depth).—About 9 to 17 cm.

Perianth.—Arrangement: Three interior and three exterior tepals; fused.Tepal length: About 4.5 cm. Tepal width: About 1 cm. Tepal shape:Elongated. Tepal apex: Apiculate. Tepal margin: Entire. Tepal texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny; glabrous. Tepal color: Whenopening and fully opened, upper surface: Centers, 85A; towards margins,91C. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 91C to 91D.

Floral bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.Margin: Entire. Color: 146C; towards the margins, 76A.

Scape.—Length: About 30 to 45 cm. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:Smooth; glabrous. Color: 189B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About five. Stamenlength: About 4 cm. Stamen color: 4D. Anther length: About 3 cm. Anthercolor: 103B. Pollen color: 13A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Stylelength: About 5 cm. Style color: 4D. Stigma color: 6B. Ovary color:Close to 145A.

Fruit/seed description.—Fruit and seed development has not beenobserved.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hosta have not been noted tobe resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hosta.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Hosta have been observed to betolerant to rain, wind and temperatures from 0 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant named ‘ElNino’, as illustrated and described.